City Provides Significant Archeological, DNA Updates in 1921 Graves Investigation

6/18/2025

City Announces Intent to Return to Oaklawn Cemetery; Second Identification Made at Oaklawn Cemetery; Additional Tulsa Race Massacre Victim Identified through Historical Records

Today, the City of Tulsa shared historic updates from the 1921 Graves Investigation, including the groundbreaking news of the second identification from Oaklawn Cemetery in addition to a newly found Tulsa Race Massacre victim through historical research. Experts also shared evidence that more Tulsa Race Massacre victims could be at Oaklawn Cemetery, showcasing the need to return to Oaklawn Cemetery for a 2025 excavation.

"From the start, our search for those buried in mass graves as a result of the Tulsa Race Massacre has been about bringing closure to families and repair to our city," Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said. "As we look to further our work at Oaklawn Cemetery and the genealogical and historical work that is helping further shape our history, I'm reminded that power lies in community. Tulsa is a city of faith and our faith drives us to do what is necessary even if it is tough. We are facing tough truths, but we’re doing it together in solidarity. I’m so grateful for the outpouring of support to these families from the broader community; it is what sets us apart from other places. Tulsa is a great city and we prove it time and time again. This investigation is a reflection of our courage, our greatness and our commitment to repair."

Fieldwork Update
Two major tracks of work guide the City’s 1921 Graves Investigation: the first is the fieldwork that is conducted by archeological experts; and second is the DNA and genealogical track to identify victims from the fieldwork.

Following the release of the 2024 Field Report (the City’s last excavation at Oaklawn Cemetery), evidence of additional burials with gunshot wounds and trauma were found in the area of Oaklawn Cemetery searched in 2024. Due to the overwhelming evidence of trauma observed in the 2024 Field Report, combined with the recent discovery of C. L. Daniel - the first Tulsa Race Massacre victim identified from the Investigation - it is the City's intent to return to the southwest portion of Oaklawn Cemetery later this year for an additional excavation as more victims are likely in the cemetery.

DNA and Genealogical Update

NEW - Confirmed Burial from Oaklawn Cemetery

• George Melvin Gillispie – Burial 180 (Context of death unknown but cannot be ruled out as a Tulsa Race Massacre victim)
  • Using genetic genealogy, it's believed that Burial 180 in Oaklawn Cemetery belongs to that of George Melvin Gillispie - a late-to-middle aged male buried in a simple wooden casket with no evidence of trauma (of note, C. L. Daniel did not have evidence of observed trauma, but he is a Tulsa Race Massacre victim).
  • George was born in 1881 and has no known cause of death. George's last proof of life comes from documentation from Payne County, Oklahoma, in December of 1920. Later documents that mention George were from his wife's subsequent marriage, when in 1924, she stated that her previous husband was already dead - putting his death somewhere between 1920 and 1924.
  • The City of Tulsa and Intermountain Forensics have notified his living family members in Oklahoma City of the connection to his burial at Oaklawn Cemetery. The City is thankful for their participation in the genetic genealogy work so far, which ultimately led to his identification as Burial 180 in Oaklawn Cemetery.
  • About George: George was one of 13 siblings who grew up in Oklahoma. He was loved by his family who wrote to him often, as well as his wife. It is unclear how George ended up in Oaklawn Cemetery, and the investigation into the manner of his death continues.
  • Next Steps: The City of Tulsa will be working with the Gillispie family and the proper authorities regarding any reburial or memorialization.
  • Help Needed: The public is strongly urged to come forward with any additional information regarding their connection to George's life. For the latest updates on George, and to see his burial information, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/1921Graves

Newly Confirmed Tulsa Race Massacre Victim

• James Goings – New Tulsa Race Massacre Victim and Veteran
  • James Goings, according to records obtained from the Veterans Administration, is the second new Tulsa Race Massacre victim that has been confirmed since the City's renewed search for answers.
  • While the surnames for James Goings overlap with surnames of interest for Burial 135, there is no DNA, yet, that ties James Goings to a specific burial at Oaklawn Cemetery.
  • Nonetheless, James Goings' name was not on original death certificates or early newspaper accounts, which makes James Goings a newly identified Tulsa Race Massacre victim not previously known publicly.
  • The first information obtained on James Goings came through an information donor who had a family booklet stating that a "Mr. Goins" was "killed in the Tulsa riot."
  • Subsequently, records were requested and received from the Veterans Compensation File contained in the National Archives, whereby a letter written on June 9, 1921, stated that James Goings was killed "in the recent disturbances there"(in Tulsa); a subsequent letter from his sister written in the 1930s stated that James died June 1, 1921.
  • Help Needed: The public is strongly urged to come forward with any additional information regarding their connection to the Goings family line as the City works to identify where James was buried. Any descendants of the Goings, Goins, Gowens, etc. surname from many states, including Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee are requested to contact the genealogy team and learn more online at: https://tulsa1921dna.org/

Additional Historical Updates
The following updates are based on additional historical research from the experts and teams involved in the search for answers from the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. While some of these updates have been talked about publicly in certain circles and during certain presentations, the public at large may find new and/or important information contained in this ongoing work.

• John White –Tulsa Race Massacre Victim
  • Dr. Phoebe Stubblefield, forensic anthropologist for the 1921 Graves Investigation, located a death certificate certified in 1925 that states John White died of gunshot wounds on June 1, 1921, and was buried in Oaklawn Cemetery. While John White was listed in several presentations by Dr. Stubblefield since the time she originally found the death certificate (by ordering all of the June 1921 Tulsa death certificates), sometime after Dr. Stubblefield ordered these, Betsy Warner (daughter of Dick Warner, a prominent Tulsa Race Massacre researcher) also confirmed the finding. While John may be known already in the descendant community, this information is an important part of Tulsa's history and may not be widely known.
• Ella Houston (alt. Ella Morris or Ella Morrison) –Tulsa Race Massacre Victim
  • Originally listed as the "Mother of Arthur Morrison" in historical documents, we now believe her to be Ella Houston (the wife of Joseph Morrison)
  • Ella Houston's death certificate (July 29, 1921, Muskogee County) says the death was caused by "miscarriage with septicemia." While nothing on the death certificate indicates that she was a victim of the massacre, her tie as a victim comes from a December 1921 Red Cross report on Arthur Morrison, which says "Age 12 - pelegra - homeless since riot - Mother died result injuries in riot."
  • While Ella Houston was her maiden name, she was married to Joseph Morris. The family used both Morris and Morrison as a surname.
• James Miller –Tulsa Race Massacre Victim
  • "Joe Miller" is a named victim with a death certificate citing burial at Oaklawn Cemetery on June 2, 1921.
  • Previous researchers hypothesized this may be "Joseph Miller" living at 626 E. Hill with his wife Allie in the 1921 Tulsa City Directory. However, researchers found that the aforementioned Joe Miller was still living in the 1930 census.
  • Through historical research, the genealogy team at Intermountain Forensics located a probate record from 1921 that states that "James Miller (birth name James Askew) "...was killed during the race riot in Tulsa, Oklahoma in June 1921…"
  • Given the findings, it is believed the death certificate for Joe Miller is actually this James Miller.

Community Engagement Genealogy Project as part of Emmett Till Grant
The City of Tulsa, in collaboration with Intermountain Forensics and the Greenwood Cultural Center, is hosting the third round of Community Engagement Genealogy Workshops this weekend, from June 20 to June 22. Nearly 80 residents have signed up so far, but more registrations are welcome.

Registration is required at: www.greenwoodculturalcenter.org/genealogy-workshop

Friday and Saturday’s workshops will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with an optional workday on Sunday (time TBD). Space in each workshop is limited, so residents are asked to register early. Please note, each workshop is limited to registered participants only.

During the workshop, participants will have access to experienced genealogists who will guide them through the fundamentals of genealogical research, including:

• Tools and resources for effective family tree research, including free access to Ancestry Institution courtesy of Ancestry.com
• Guidance on how to expand your family tree
• Access to research materials and resources for continued learning

Workshops are part of the City's goal to increase public awareness and empower community members, especially those in Greenwood and North Tulsa - and 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre descendants - to explore their own genealogies, connecting them with resources and experts to uncover family histories.

For more information about the workshops, which are funded through the City's Emmett Till Grant, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/genealogyproject

Mayor Nichols' Road to Repair
The continuation of the 1921 Graves Investigation and the commitment to the Community Engagement Genealogy Project are one part of Mayor Nichols' Road to Repair that he announced on June 1, 2025 - the 104th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre.

Mayor Nichols' plan includes multiple steps to bring Tulsa closer to healing the multigenerational wounds that have been more than 100 years in the making, including the already announced and observed Day of Observance and the newly announced Greenwood Trust.

The Greenwood Trust is a privately funded charitable trust to secure $105 million in assets for the benefit of residents of Greenwood and North Tulsa. A few of the Trust's focus areas include housing, education, and cultural preservation of the Greenwood District and North Tulsa.

Currently, the trust is in its planning year and additional information will be announced when updates are available.

For more information on all aspects of the Road to Repair, please visit: https://www.cityoftulsa.org/mayor/road-to-repair/

Partners in this Work
This work is made possible by: State Archaeologist Dr. Kary Stackelbeck and the Physical Investigation Team; Ryan Peterson, Senior Principal at Stantec; Dr. Phoebe Stubblefield, Forensic Anthropologist from the University of Florida; Intermountain Forensics and its team of genealogists and researchers; Dr. Scott Ellsworth, Historian for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre; descendants and survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre; Tulsa community members, including those who have served on related commissions and committees; and everyone who has shared their stories and family genealogy from around the United States.